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And also Mr Governor, when you were in London did you also request the British Government to go through diplomatic channels? For example, send a special envoy to China to visit Mr Xi Yang? And have you also impressed upon China your hope that Mr Xi Yang should be released as soon as possible, at least on humanitarian grounds he should be released on bail so that he could seek medical treatment in Hong Kong?
Governor: I'm sure that reports of what the honourable gentleman has said will reach the Chief Secretary before her engagement this evening. I'm not sure whether Director Lu is the ideal, and I'm speaking in terms of administrative responsibility, recipient of the message but I will ensure that the message arrives at the Chief Secretary's office.
I didn't raise in London the suggestion of a special envoy but I will continue to raise the argument that British Ministers should keep in touch with their counterparts on an issue which I repeat has caused widespread concern, not only in this community but elsewhere too. It's the sort of case which I dare say I will find myself answering questions on when I go in a couple of weeks' time to the United States to argue for the renewal of MFN status against a background of concern in the United States about matters such as the one the honourable gentleman has raised.
Mr Cheng Yiu-tong (in Chinese): I have often heard the Governor and his officials saying that our term will extend until 1999 but I do have with me a collection of legal articles by the PRC and it says that it will end on 30 June 1997. So under such circumstances, will the Governor fight for the interests of this Council or would you be on hunger strike, let's say, for 50 hours let's say?
Governor: Well, I could probably make more physical use of a hunger strike than any of the lean, perfectly formed-- It is rather a pity when one pays people a compliment and they can't recognise themselves.
Let me deal with the honourable gentleman's question seriously. Nothing I have ever said seeks to argue that 30 June 1997 does not see the end of British sovereignty in Hong Kong. Equally, nothing that I have seen justifies the derailing of the so-called through train on 30 June, which has nothing to do with decisions taken by this Council or the Hong Kong Government except that those decisions which were in line with the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law were not liked by Chinese Officials.
I think that this Legislative Council should continue until 1999. I think that it would be in the community's advantage for it to do so. And I repeat that anybody who garrottes this Council in the middle of 1997 will have to justify that to opinion in Hong Kong and I dare say, since there will be quite a lot of interest in the issue, to international opinion too.